Method of fabricating window panels



July 20, 1954 J. A. POTCHEN 2,683,926

METHOD 0F FABRICATING WINDOW PANELS Original Filed June 8, 1949 Patented July 20, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF FABRICATING WINDOW PANELS Joseph A. Potchen, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignor to Haskelite Manufacturing Corporation, Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation of New York 2 Claims. l

The invention relates to window panels.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple `and improved method for fabricating window panels Which comprise a core and metal facing sheets.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a window panel embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is section taken on line 2 2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a section illustrating the blank including the core and casing sheets bonded thereto, before the margins of the facing sheets have been bent into the opening in the core;

Fig. 4 is a view illustrating the panel in section in a press for bending the margins of the sheets to form flanges in the opening in the core, the die members being shown in elevation;

Fig. 5 is ya partial view illustrating the dies in section.

The invention is exemplified in a method of fabricating a panel which may be part of a door, wall or other structure which is to be provided with a window. The panel comprises a substantially rigid core IG, which may be of laminated wood or veneer. Facing sheets of suitable metal, such as aluminum, are bonded by high strength glue to the faces of the core. The core is provided with a window opening II of a contour corresponding to the contour of the window desired. The facing sheets are provided with openings and integral portions of angular crosssection projecting inwardly of the edge of the opening II in the core, and include members I3 which extend toward each other and terminate in complemental substantially parallel flanges Ill. The edges of the anges I4 conform in contour to the contour of the opening I I. A band I 5 of elastic material, such as rubber, is provided with an outer groove I6 into which the flanges I4 extend and whereby said anges will be elastically gripped by the hand. Elastic band I5 is also provided with an inner groove I'I in which the margins of a transparent plate I8 are supported.

The method of fabricating the panel is 4as follows: The laminations of core I0 are glued together and an opening II conforming to the contour of the window desired is cut through the core. The facing sheets I2 of soft metal,

such as aluminum, with openings 2I cut therein are bonded to the opposite sides of the core to integralize the core and the facing sheets. The facing sheets are at and provided with openings 2| conforming to the contour of the opening II in the core and with marginal portions 20 around openings 2| which project inwardly from the edge of the opening II in the core, as illustrated in Fig. 3. This provides a blank composed of facing sheets and laminated core bonded together with the openings 2| conforming to the contour of the window opening in the core and marginal inwardly projecting portions 20 on the sheets. Next the blank illustrated in Fig. 3 is operated on in the press to bend the marginal portions 2l] of the facing sheets into angular cross-section to form members I3 and flanges I4. The blank is placed on a platen or press member 24 on which is mounted `a die 25. A movable press member 25 is provided on its underside with a die member 21. The press is operated to move the dies together and bend the marginal portions 20 of the facing sheets into angular cross-section, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. In this operation the dies will bend the marginal portions 2B of the facing sheets around the edge of the opening I I in the core into angular cross-section with the iianges I 4 in close proximity to each other in the opening II in the corey and on the margins of the facing sheets. The dies 25 and 2l are contoured to conform to the edge of the core around the opening I I. This bending operation can be performed with dies formed of com- .V pressed wood pulp die stock which can be readily shaped to the contour of the window-opening. During the bending operation the edge of the core around opening I I is sumciently rigid for bending the margins of the sheets into `angular cross-section without female die-members and the bonding of the sheets to the faces of the core confines the bending to the marginal portions 2|. By effecting the bending without female dies or utilizing the core as a bending member and die members of compressed woodpulp die stock, the method of bending the facing sheets may be economically practiced.

|The invention exemplifies a method of fabricating window panels built up of a laminated core and facing sheets bonded thereto with integral anges in the window opening for retaining an elastic band for mounting a glass panel in the window opening which can be economically performed.

This application is a division of the application for United States Patent No. 2,609,896, dated September 9, 1952.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth since these may be modified Within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. That improvement in fabricating a window panel which comprises: cutting in a preformed core an opening conforming to the contour of a window, bonding to the faces of the core substantiall',` nat sheets of metal having openings therein conforming to the contour of the opening in the core, and marginal portions projecting inwardly from the edge of the opening in the core, and thereafter bending said projecting marginal portions around the edge of the opening in the core to form inset complemental anges adapted to receive an elastic band for mounting transparent plate across the openings in the sheets and the core.

2. That improvement in fabricating a window panel which comprises: cutting in a core of prebonded laminations an opening conforming to the contour of a Window, bonding to the faces of the core sheets of metal having openings therein conforming to the contour` of the opening in the core, and marginal portions projecting inwardly from the edge of the opening in the core, and thereafter bending simultaneously the marginal portions of both sheets around the edge of the opening in the core to form inset complemental anges around the opening in the core, adapted to receive an elastic band for supporting a transparent plate across the openings in the sheets and the core.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,888,166 Geipel Nov. 15, 1932 2,114,442 Fitzgerald Apr. 19, 1938 2,114,896 Axe Apr. 19, 1938 2,485,648 Norquist Oct. 25, 1948 

